Imagine
by tabitha5
Summary: The future is what you make it.... Alternate post virus fic
1. Default Chapter

Imagine a world where all your dreams have come true, where you are in control, where you have everything you ever wanted…..

A world ruled by people like you and I, the unheard and misunderstood youth, think about it what do you see?  This is our reality……

The future is now and it's what you make it…..


	2. Part 2

Mostly, you have a choice.  

Are you in?   

Or are you out?

Do you want to be in control of your destiny?  

Or have it controlled for you?

**Question…….  **

Are you good enough? 

Do you have what it takes?  

To become one of us. 

To be **_Elite._**


	3. Part 3

Everybody read the papers, watched the TV, listened to the radio or surfed the net.

Everybody heard the rumours about biological warfare, international computer viruses and genetic engineering.

Some of you laughed in disbelief, others said it was government propaganda.  

But mostly people thought that **it would never happen to them**.

There is no smoke without fire, some truth in every rumour.

You were warned before **it** happened.


	4. Part 4

The Elite 

We are the best of the best.

At the very top in each of our area's of expertise.

We knew what was coming and we were prepared….  

250 people, multi-cultural, multi-national we joined together to build a new civilisation to create a better way of life for those who remain. 


	5. Part 5

We are all unique every one of us.  

We all have hidden talents.  

Be the best that you can be. 

Have faith in your capabilities. 

Stand up for your beliefs. 

Be true to yourself.


	6. Part 6

Life is game.

 We all have a part.

 So play it……..

**_Join the Elite and take control of your destiny._**

(End of broadcast. Plasma screens go dead, neon lights switch off and black out resumes).


	7. Part 7 Introducing Ed

Ed's slightly hysterical laughter could be heard throughout the building as Dan shut down the computer.  

He swivelled his chair around to face the others as he tried to gauge their reaction to the broadcast. 

 "Very good Danny boy very good".  Ed told him clapping his hands ever so slowly. 

Dan shuddered involuntarily there was something about Ed that always made him feel slightly on edge.

 Ed's right hand man and second in command Robin leant over and slapped Dan heartily on the back.  

"That was great man, real riveting stuff".  Robin commented warmly.

"Tomorrow, I think we'll send a crew of boys out to pick up any converts".  Ed said as he nodded slowly to himself, then without another word he turned abruptly and left the room.  

Robin sighed wearily pushing his floppy red hair out of his eyes as he got up and followed Ed out.


	8. Part 8

Dan stood up and got ready to leave he slung his black leather jacket over his shoulder in one swift almost graceful movement, bent over to check that he had in fact switched everything off, then finally switching the light out before he left, making sure that the door was securely shut behind himself.

Hurriedly he made his way down the three flights of concrete stairs to the ground floor and across the close in walkway to the exit.  

He pushed his shoulder against the heavy metal gazed door until it finally creaked open and then closed again behind him as he stepped out into the cold night air.  

He made his way across the lawn and into the courtyard of the huge curved halls of residence where he and the other members of the elite lived.

Again he made his way up the seemingly endless flights of stairs lit only by the light on the moon shinning brightly outside the windows and along the corridor to his and Chase's room.

He paused briefly as he fumbled in the darkness as he tried to insert his key into the lock before he pushed the door opened and groped his way into the room, he could see a dim light coming from underneath the bathroom door and assumed that Chase must be taking a hurried shower before the hot water was switched off for the night.  

Dan threw his jacket over the back of a chair and stretched out on one of the two beds lying with his hands behind his head and booted feet dangling over the edge as he silently waited for his friend to emerge from the bathroom.

His mind was completely devoid of all thought as he stared up in the darkness at the ceiling, he'd learnt that it was easier not to think about the past, the why's, wherefores and what ifs of what might have been if he hadn't come here, if the virus and the pulse had never happened.  

It was better to live in the present the here and now.


	9. Part 9 Enter Chase

The bathroom door creaked opened and Chase appeared.  

The Australian was well over six feet and muscular with blonde hair, blue eyes and a permanent year round tan.  

He had nothing but a damp small white towel around his waist; he was rubbing at his unruly mop with another towel his hands working in frenzied circular motions as he dried his hair.

Dan lay there upon his bed silent and as still as a statue.  

He liked watching people, imagining what they were thinking or where they had come from and who they had been.


	10. Part 10 Boys will be boys

Chase slung the now wet towel upon his bed and rummaged in his bedside cabinet until he found some clean boxers.  

The towel dropped from around his waist as he stepped into the clean shorts, losing his balance he hopped madly on one leg for a second before finally pulling the shorts up as he did so he turned around to pick up the towel he had discarded upon the floor. 

He jumped startled as he noticed Dan lying upon the other bed.  

"Jesus".  He swore.  

"You've got to stop doing that, you nearly scared the f***ing life out of me".  He shouted at Dan more than a little annoyed to be caught standing naked and unawares.

"Doing what?" Dan replied feigning innocence.

"Lying there in the dark like a frigging corpse". His friend told him.

Dan tried to do his best impression of a corpse, making his body stiffen, letting his mouth gape open and his eyes roll back into his head.

"F*** you".  Chase responded hurling the soaking towel at him, it hit him squarely between the eyes.

"Rather not, you're not my type and away I know where you've been".  Came the muffled response from under the towel.

Chase laughed good humouredly as he sat down upon his bed.

Dan sat up, the towel dropping into a soggy heap on the carpet.

"I saw the broadcast, you were great, if you can't persuade 'Joe Public' to join us with your flashy media hype then no one can". Chase told him. 

"It was good, seriously good, you certainly know how to captivate your audience".

"Aww shucks".  Dan replied bashfully in a phoney American accent.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence each absorbed in their own thoughts.


	11. Part 11

Maybe these broadcasts weren't such a good thing?  Maybe they were propaganda? Dan pondered.

Or maybe not?  

The Elite was everyone's best chance of survival, the more people who joined the more there were to work together to build a better world a happy world with enough to eat and drink, a safe place to sleep, enough to occupy your mind, a whole new civilisation based upon equality and co-operation.

It was better than the alternative living on the streets, scavenging for food, covered in dirt, afraid to go to sleep in case someone from another tribe, someone bigger and stronger or more cunning than you would steal your meagre processions whilst you slept or capture you and turn you into nothing more than a slave.

But if the Elite were offering that good a deal why were they broadcasting all over the islands in an attempt to persuade more people to join them?  Surely everybody would already be a member, the whole world would be Elite?  

The more he thought about it the more confused he got, sometimes Dan decided it was better not to think but he just couldn't help it.


	12. Part 12 life, the universe

"Chase do you ever wonder what life would be like if the virus had never happened?" Dan asked as he turned onto his side so that he was looking in the direction of Chase's bed even though the room was in darkness and he couldn't see his friends face to gauge his reaction, you could tell a lot about the way a person was feeling just from the expression upon their face.

"Nah, not really, maybe I'd be on surgical rotation in some flash private clinic with a house in the country, a Labrador, two kids and a wife on the PTA board like my folks wanted or maybe I'd have been ER doctor, I always fancied that, saving lives on a daily basis, being everyone's hero".  Chase responded.

"Hmm, I can just see you as the next doctor Covac heart-throb of millions of teenage girls and their moms".  Dan told him as he tried but failed to stifle his laughter.

"Me, I would have been a famous Hollywood director of maybe a PR executive or working in advertising, yeah, that would be me, the creator behind the commercials for some of the biggest names, Nike, Coke, Sony".  Dan continued.

"Actually I can see that!  Or maybe you could have been the next Aaron Spelling".  Chase laughed.

"Well better that than Rupert Murdoch".  Dan replied.  

"Seriously sometimes I wonder what life would be like not just if the virus hadn't hit and the pulse hadn't happened but if I'd never come here". Dan continued.

Chase shook his head. "Not me, I know what my life would be like, non-existent, I'd be dead like the rest of the adults where I live, I was lucky, I made the choice to get out of Oz whilst I still had a chance.  Here I am far enough away for the virus not to have got me, here I have a chance of doing something productive with my life, of being what I spent all my life training for, of helping build a whole new future".

"I guess your right.  The pulse and the virus pretty much destroyed any chance of a normal future, my home, my family, everything".  Dan said, his voice still serious.  "It's just that sometimes I wonder if what we're doing is such a good thing, I know the Elite is all about building a better way of life but I wonder if we're creating another 'superpower', another dictatorship".

"You know that, that's not what the Elite is about, none of us want history to repeat itself, we're all about helping people reach their potential and making sure everybody has enough to eat, everything that is good and just.  Jesus, listening to you talk sometimes you would think that we are the Nazi party incarnate and we're not".

Chase's voice rose in anger as he spoke.

"If we were that good the islanders wouldn't need convincing, they'd all already be members and they'd be no need for me to broadcast all over the place cause everybody that wasn't one of us would want to be one of us".  Dan uncertain voice drifted off.

"Some people are stupid, especially the kids, they think eating out of the gutter, forming tribes and generally terrorising people and wrecking the place means that they are free that they are in control of their lives".  Chase preached at him repeating what Ed had told them all time and time again.

"Ok, ok I know you're right and I know that we're not forcing people to join us or manipulating them and I know that what we are trying to achieve will benefit everybody.  I guess I'm just being pessimistic".  Dan admitted although he was somewhat deflated because Chase refused to discuss it any further it was always the same if he questioned anybody's action's or possible motives behind them.

"Don't get me wrong, if I hadn't believed what Ed was saying I'd be dead now and I feel like I really am part of something that is going to make a difference, going to make things better, look at what we've already achieved so far, it's fantastic, a new society, a whole new way of life, it's all cool man, it's all cool".  Dan finished.

Sometimes Chase worried about his friend, that he was still living in the past, that he doubted not only Ed but also everything he and the rest of the Elite stood for, everything they believed in. Deep down though Chase knew that Dan did believe in the cause and that he too wanted to build a better world.  It sucked big style when Dan was being all negative and pessimistic.  

Chase decided a change of subject was just the thing to lift Dan's spirits.


	13. Part 13 Cheer Up Chuck

"Tomorrow night, is gonna be the night, I can feel it in my bones I'm gonna get lucky very lucky with Ish".  Chase told Dan.

"That's real scientific doctor, a feeling in your bones!"  Dan laughed.  "What makes you so sure?  Ish has been turning you down for the past nine months why would she suddenly change her mind now?"

"Dunno, I just think she'll be fancying a little role play by now, a little doctor's and nurses you know".  Chase laughed at his lame play on words.  "Seriously man, your sets gonna be so cool it will have the ladies falling at our feet".

"I think you've made a mistake there mate, my set may have the ladies falling at my feet but they will never and I mean never ever fall at yours". Dan laughed.  "However as you're my best mate I'll make sure you get any leftovers".  

Dan's laughter grew louder as Chase muttered something incomprehensible under his breath in response.

Mission accomplished.  Chase grinned to himself in the darkness.


	14. Part 14 All about that feeling

Maybe, just maybe tomorrow will be the night when Ish finally takes some notice of me.  Chase thought to himself.  

In his mind he pictured her the girl of his dreams, his fantasies, she wasn't tall about five foot four, petite or small boned or whatever you wanted to call it, her hair was thick black and shoulder length it was always neatly curled under at the ends, her skin was rich and brown, her lips full and dark reddish brown, her eyes large and almond shaped and the colour of black coffee.  

He sighed with pleasure at the very thought of her. He'd give anything; well almost anything for just one kiss; the girl drove him wild.  

Chase was still dreaming of Ish as he fell asleep.


	15. Part 15 DJ Dan

Dan on the other hand was thinking about which tunes to include in tomorrow nights set he liked to use stuff that appealed to most people and that was upbeat.  

Inside his head he made a list:

Some tunes to get the people moving:

_Room 5 - Make Love_

_N Trance – Staying Alive_

_Fatboy Slim – Rockerfella Skank_

A couple of 90's classics for those who were old enough to remember them:

_Technotronics – Pump Up the Jam _

_And his personal favourite Wildchild – Renegade Master_

Tunes for the feel good factor: 

_Vanessa Amorosi – Absolutely Everybody_

_Stardust – The Music Sounds Better with You_

_Superman Lovers – Starlight_

_Top Loader – Dancing in the Moonlight_

A couple of tunes that had been requested the previous week:

_Truestepper's – Out of Your Mind_

_Mistque – Scandalous_

_Pink – Get The Party Started_

_UltraBeat - Pretty Green Eyes_

Tunes from the early part of the twenty-first century:

_Jaimeson – True_

_So Solid Crew - 21 Seconds_

_Puretone – Addicted to Base_

_50 Cent – In Da Club_

_Eminem – Lose Yourself_

Some mush for the girlies:

_Avril Lavigne – Complicated_

_Craig David – Rise and Fall_

_Everything But The Girl – I Miss You_

_Will Young - I Think I better Leave Right Now_

_All Saints - Pure Shores_

And for the guys: 

_MC Hammer – Can't Touch This_

_Nickleback – How You Remind Me_

_David Gray – Babylon_

_Black Eyed Pea's - Where is the Love?_

_Oasis – Wonder Wall_

And finally songs that represented the Elite:

_Daniel Beddingfield – Gotta Get Through This_

_Rozalla – Everybody's Free_

_The Lost Brothers – Cry Little Sister (The Theme from The Lost Boys)_

_Bryan Adams – Don't Give Up_

_Daft Punk – Digital Love_

The list needed refining somewhat but at least it was a start.

Sometimes, Dan thought to himself it would be good to have a more extensive music collection or for there still to be a world out there full of new tunes and undiscovered talent, but mostly he was looking forward to tomorrow night, he decided as he drifted off to sleep still pondering over his play list.


	16. Part 16 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Robin stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his black Levi's as he trudged wearily down the winding road towards the farm buildings.  

A herd of cows grazed contently in the lush green field next to the road, their golden brown coats and large liquid brown eyes shining with health.  On the other side an equally large and lush field was dotted with what looked like small tin air-raid shelters outside many of which there were pigs basking in the sun like beached whales gasping for their last breathe stranded marooned upon a sandbank.  For animals that were meant to be so intelligent pigs were sometimes Robin thought unbelievably stupid.  

As he turned into the farmyard a dozen or more large snowy white geese came running forwards hissing venomously at him.  Robin took off at a run and kept going until he came to what looked like oversized black paddling pools this was where the young fish were kept until they were large enough to be safely released.  He could hear the faint hum of machinery coming from the large corrugated iron workshop, which was his destination.

The sliding door had been left ajar to allow the sunlight to enter and as he stood there he could see Kennis's feet peering out from underneath the large white transit van the Elite used when they went out to collect their new members.  Kennis slid out from underneath the van and removed the welding mask which had been protecting her face from any stray sparks as she had soldered a join which needed repairing.

Her long ebony coloured fringe had escaped the grips she had used earlier that morning to fasten it out of her midnight blue eyes, the top portion of her grey mechanics overall hung down about her slender waist reveals her toned midriff barely covered by a tight black tank top, she wiped her face briefly on one of the black sweatbands she wore on each of her wrists and smiled warmly at Robin by way of a greeting as she bent down to retie the lace of the clumpy black steel-toe-capped biker boots she wore to protect her feet whilst she worked.

"Hey boss-man, what brings you here?" she asked him as she set her mask and tools down upon one of the metal workbenches lined up along the front wall of the workshop.

"We don't need the van until tomorrow now Kennis, Ed decided to leave 'Joe Public' to dwell on the delights of a return to civilisation whilst they spent another night starving and cold on the streets".  Robin told her.

"It's cool, the van's ready anyways. I was just about to start on something else". Kennis replied trying to keep her disappointment hidden as she had been looking forwards to testing out the van on something better than the deserted car park or the farm track.

"Dan's fixed up a mini camcorder for all of you to wear tomorrow.  He wants to get some shots of the outside world to use in some of his broadcasts.  Which brings me to the reason for my visit, not that it isn't always nice to see you".  Robin paused as his face flushed crimson with embarrassment.   "Dan wanted to check that the radio in the cab is working".

"Go ahead, make yourself at home".   Kennis told him as she opened the door to the cab and stood back so Robin could climb in.  

He fiddled with the switch until he could hear a fainted buzzing sound.  "What shall I say?"  He asked Kennis.  

I dunno, what about a nursery rhyme or something".  Kennis replied Robin glanced across at her in order to ensure that she wasn't winding him up.  Her face was completely straight not even a hint of a smirk so he picked up the mike and holding the button down with his index finger he started to recite.

"Georgie Porgie pudding and pie kissed the girls and made them cry when the boys came out to play he kissed them too cos he was gay".

Kennis started laughing "Sometimes you really surprise me Robin".

"I'm flattered, I think".  Robin replied unsure whether she had paid him a compliment or not.  They waited in silence for a few seconds but there was no response from Dan's end.  "I guess it's not working then? Robin said.

 "Either that or he's fallen asleep or something". Kennis agreed.

The ancient walky-talky Robin carried around with him suddenly crackled and spluttered into action inside his back pocket. Robin took it out and held it up to his ear.

"Of course it's working you stupid twat!  You just need to take your finger off of the frigin' button".  Dan shouted loud enough for not only Robin to hear but Kennis as well.  

Kennis started to laugh again only this time Robin got the feeling that she was laughing at him rather than with him and he could feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment once more.

"I guess I should be heading back now".  He told Kennis as he switched the radio off and climbed down from the cab.

"See you later Robin". She replied still bent double with laughter.

As Robin made his way back through the farmyard he could hear footsteps coming in the other direction.  Out of habit he quickly hid himself behind the hen house.

Kennis's younger brother Travis came around the corner.  He was tall for his age, tanned with brown eyes, his dark brown hair was twisted up into short dreads, he was wearing baggy black skater jeans, a black hooded sweatshirt, and black sneakers, black being the regulation colour worn by the members of the Elite.  

He was pushing the motorcycle that Kennis had fixed up for him; his black motorcycle helmet with T-Bone emblazoned across the back was hanging from one of the handlebars.  

Robin liked Travis he was a good kid always running messages on his bike or helping out in the small school the Elite had set up by teaching the younger kids maths.  

Robin was just about to step out of the shadows and say 'hi' to Travis when Jeremy came swaggering round the corner, he slung his arm around the younger boys shoulders; presumably they were both on their way to visit Kennis in the workshop.  

There was something about Jeremy that Robin just couldn't put his finger on, he was average height with reddish brown hair and green eyes, he wore black jeans, a tight t-shirt and a black shirt buttoned down with the sleeves rolled up to reveal some black plastic bangles on one of his wrists, on his feet he wore old school vans sneakers.  His electric guitar dangled carelessly from its strap slung over one shoulder.  

Although Kennis had been friends with Jeremy since high school and Robin couldn't find fault with his work as a building's constructor and repairman for the Elite there was just something that stopped him from liking the guy and it wasn't just that Kennis fancied him rotten.  

As the two boys disappeared from view Robin stepped out from his hiding place behind the hen house and began the long trudge along the farm road and back to his office.


	17. Part 17 Girls night out

Kennis looked across at the other girls crowded round the mirror each of them trying to catch a glimpse of their reflection and marvelled that they were all friends.  

Jeneh the youngest of the group at just fifteen stood shifting nervously from foot to foot and every now and again she tugged at the hem of her skirt as if she could make it seem longer, her actions betraying her nervousness.  

Kennis thought back to the night they'd picked Jeneh up as she wandered alone on the disserted streets, she'd been life threateningly ill with pneumonia and spent the first couple of months in the Elite's infirmary recuperating.  

Although Jeneh was painfully shy she was actually very funny when she got to know you and as Kennis was her roommate it was her that knew Jeneh best although the younger girls continuous need for companionship sometimes irritated her.  

Kennis thought Jeneh looked very mature for her age dressed in the clothes Livia had loaned her.  Her dark almost black shoulder-length hair set off the outfit perfectly.  

On her top half she wore a cropped vintage camisole in gold satin the top of which was edged with a wide band of black lace.  She also wore a tinted blast wash denim mini skirt with three pockets and a zip and button fly fastening.  Black ballet pumps completed the outfit.  

The labels said Kookai, Ted Baker and Office and this had made Jeneh feel quite fashionable, for once, as she had peered at them when she had dressed.  

"Will you relax and stop fidgeting?  You look great".  Livia told her as she jostled to get a position closer to the mirror so that she apply the finishing touches to her makeup an electric blue swirl coming from the corner of each of her wide-set, long lashed, dark eyes.  

Her long dark hair was elaborately braided at the front of her head but left loose at the back falling onto her shoulders which were barely covered by a batwing top in the same electric blue as her eye makeup, a black rara mini skimmed the tops of her naked thighs on her feet she wore black suedette slouch boots.  Other than that her outfit was devoid of the various accessories she used on a daily basis to jazz up the boring black clothes that were the uniform of the Elite.  

She did a tiny pirouette and then flopped down onto Kennis's bed to give the other girls a chance to look at themselves in the mirror.

Ish smiled at the other girls antics although she appeared vain on the surface and was extremely flirtatious Livia was intelligent and street wise and also very good at her job organising leisure and entertainment for the members of the Elite.  

Sometimes Ish thought it was hard to believe that Livia was yet to turn sixteen; there again a girl using her looks to her advantage wasn't exactly against the law was it?  

Looks being something that the meticulous Asian girl was intending to make the most of tonight.  Her hair was scraped off of her face and twisted up so that only the ends were left loose standing to attention like porcupines quills sticking out of the top of her scalp.  A ring of black kohl pencil and lashings of black mascara enhanced her eyes but the only other makeup she wore was a coating of berry red lip-gloss. 

She smoothed down her tight sleeveless cropped turtleneck and checked that the keyhole detail wasn't exposing too much cleavage.  She quickly inspected her black belted techno trousers and pointed toe black stiletto boots for any specks of dirt before retreating to sit on the bed with Livia and Jeneh thus leaving Kennis free to inspect her own appearance in the full-length mirror.  

Kennis smiled at herself reassured by her reflection free of its usual overalls.  On her feet she wore ballet pumps much the same as those Livia had leant to Jeneh only hers were dusky pink and matched the jersey boob-tube she wore.  She hastily retied the side seam fastening into a double bow for security and adjusted the waistband on the black hanky hemmed skirt so that it gave her calves a more flattering silhouette.  

"Ok guy's, that's it, I'm ready".  She informed them.

She waited for her friends to leave the room before switching off the light then closing the door firmly behind her as she joined the three of them out in the corridor.

They made there way down the stairs and out of the double doors into the chilly night air.  

Jeneh looked up at the stars thinking that they looked just like the diamonds glittering on a background of navy velvet that she had once seen in a carefully lit jeweller's shop window.  "It's a nice night isn't it?"  She commented to nobody in particular.

"It's a bit on the nippy side though".  Kennis responded as she wrapped her arms about her torso in a vain effort to keep warm.

"You wouldn't want to wear a coat though, it would spoil your image".  Livia commented being her usual vain self.

"So Liv whose going to be keeping you warm on the walk back tonight?"  Ish questioned her.

"Layth, I think that it's got to be Layth".  Livia replied referring to Ed's tall, elegant companion whom she thought resembled one of the elves from Lord of the Rings with his shoulder-length white blonde hair and cold icy blue eyes.

"Jesus, talk about man of mystery.  That boy is one cold cucumber".  Kennis replied.  "Any way, I thought you had a thing for Dan?" 

"I do, I do, how could anyone not? he's gorgeous". The others giggled at Livia's reply her passion for Dan was no secret among the group of friends.   "What about you Kennis are you still carrying that torch for Jeremy or have you transferred your affections to Robin?"

Kennis shook her head "You know Jeremy is the only guy for me.  Robin and I are just friends".

"I've heard that one before".  Ish scoffed.

"Sooo Jeneh who do you fancy?" Livia teased.

"Ummm I don't know, Layth's pretty cool".  Jeneh replied turning crimson with embarrassment.

"Jesus, Layth eats girls like you for breakfast".  Livia commented much to Jeneh's dismay.

Kennis quickly changed the subject.  "So Ish, is tonight the night you give in to the amorous Aussie's advances?" She asked referring to Chase.

"If Doctor Love thinks his lucks in then he's going to be sorely disappointed".  Ish laughed.

"So what's with the outfit then?"  Kennis inquired.

"There's nothing wrong with a little teasing".  

Kennis raised one eyebrow in amazement "So your aim's purely to drive the guy wild, look but don't touch?"

"Hmmm, something like that".  Ish smiled smugly.

The four girls quietened down, each of them eagerly anticipating the night ahead as they approached the armadillo shaped auditorium, which served as the Elite's nightclub one night a week.


	18. Part 18

Choy and Hobson stood just outside the open doorway leading to the auditorium; both of them were intently watching the girls approach.  
  
Livia looked them both up and down scrutinising their appearances as if she was examining a dress in the window of a smart boutique.  
  
Hobson was even taller than Chase, his stripy blue chefs trousers and navy sleeveless t-shirt did little for his muscle bound appearance but despite his size and rough outward appearance Livia knew that Hobson was a gentle soul who wouldn't intentionally harm a fly.  
  
In contrast, Choy was short and scrawny with slightly buckteeth, he reminded Livia of a weasel; the guy was a schemer plain and simple and was on a permanent quest to make his fortune often at the expense of others.  
  
Livia couldn't understand why Ed had accepted Choy into the Elite as he had little to offer other than being good at cards and able to entertain people with his magic tricks.  
  
His fashion sense, in Livia's opinion, was more than a little dubious. He wore a Noddy style hat complete with a bronze bell dangling from the tip, a long black trench coat over black and red chequered trousers and a green t- shirt with 'I'm special' scrawled across the front in yellow. Livia giggled to herself when she read it thinking that special needs would probably be more appropriate.  
  
"What are you two then, doormen?" Kennis asked attempting to be friendly.  
  
Choy nodded. "Tonight there's an entry fee".  
  
"What's the fee then?" Jeneh piped up looking worried because she hadn't brought anything with her to pay for her entry.  
  
"A kiss from each of you". Choy sneered, leering at Jeneh as he took a step towards her so that he could ogle from a closer proximity.  
  
Jeneh flushed suddenly ashamed of how she was dressed and thinking that she must look hideous she stared intently at the tarmac beneath her feet and wished that the ground would open up and swallow her.  
  
"Get lost creep". Ish spat at him like an enraged cat; angry at the way he was looking at Jeneh. The last thing the nervous young girl needed was the unwanted attentions of someone like Choy.  
  
Choy deliberately took a step sideways so that he was standing directly in front of the doorway blocking the girl's entry to the auditorium.  
  
"Get out of my way freak". Kennis snarled evilly ignoring the hurt look on Choy's face as she elbowed him hard in the ribs so that he jumped out of her reach thus giving them enough room to pass without brushing up against him.  
  
Livia turned to Hobson and flashed him her one of her most flirtatious smiles. "I don't know why a nice boy like you would want to hang around with a loser like him". She informed him making him blush as she stalked past.  
  
"Stupid b***hes". Choy muttered just loud enough for Hobson to hear as the girls made their way inside. 


	19. Part 19 Get into the groove

Dan stood behind his decks on the stage at the front of the auditorium. Earphones held to one ear so as not to ruin the spiky hairdo that had taken him ten minutes standing in front of the bathroom mirror to perfect before he had left to set up.  His head moved up and down in time to the beat of the music and he looked the picture of cool dressed in his semi-fitted blue pinstripe shirt from FCUK and his faded blue Diesel jeans.  

Above his head the camera he had installed surveyed the dance-floor.  With the flick of a switch he could zoom in on a particular group of people as and when he pleased and if luck were on his side he would be able to capture some great shots for the Elite's next broadcast.  

Spotlights in a broad spectrum of colours made random patterns upon the walls and floor; moving as if they were dancers and a gigantic disco-ball sparkled like a star from its position high up on the convex ceiling of the auditorium.  

As he faded the previous tune out and the next one in he focused the camera upon a group of dancers in the centre of the dance-floor, they began to move along with the music as it grew louder, each of them dancing in time with the lyrics of Fatboy Slim's Rockerfella Skank.

_Right about now,   
the funk soul brother.   
Check it out now,   
the funk soul brother___

Their arms jutted in front of them, held as if their elbows were glued to their sides with their hands pointing first upwards towards the ceiling and then downwards as each of the dancers left knee's came up and was thrust first to the left and then to the right.  

Their left arm's swung up and backwards behind their heads as they pointed their left foot forwards, then reversed the move and repeated it turning their head's violently to the left and then to the right.  

Dan thought it was amazing how the dancers executed a quarter-clockwise turn right at the exact same moment as one another.  His mind wandered for an instant as he marvelled at their accuracy only to be snapped back to attention as they slapped the hand of the person they were now standing opposite.  One of them then lifted their right arm up and then bent forwards from the waist as the other swung their right leg over the first ones head.  

Dan looked back at the tiny screen positioned next to his deck's to ensure he was capturing all of this on camera.  He thought that the perfectly synchronised dance routine illustrated the Elite's ability to work as if they were a single entity and would make great footage. 

As he faded out the song and mixed in the next tune he looked around searching the auditorium for his friends.

Over in the far corner he could see Layth and Ed talking seriously about something, probably work if the animated expression upon Ed's face was anything to by.  

Dan tried to suppress as smile as Livia bounced up to them and joined in the conversation all coy smiles and girly giggles as she flirted with them both.  Dan could see her repeatedly glancing at Layth out of the corner of her eye making sure he was giving her his full attention as she preened herself in front of him whilst pretending to hang onto Ed's every syllable.  

Dan couldn't help but sigh with relief as that probably let him off the hook as far as Livia was concerned, for tonight, at least.

On the edge of the dance floor Dan could see Brie.  Brie, in Dan's opinion, was with the exception of possibly Robin the nicest guy Dan had ever met and Dan counted himself very lucky to be among the group of people Brie considered to be his friends.  He was a born practical joker with what seemed like an inbuilt ability to put people at ease and despite his fun loving, live for today attitude he was actually a good listener.

As usual Brie was wearing his trademark red shirt and greenish coloured jeans.  He pushed his dark brownish red hair roughly out of his green eyes as he started to dance.  

Kennis and Jeneh who had been standing chatting to him laughed and clapped their hands as he did a dance move that even Dan managed to recognize as the running man in time to the rhythm of the music.  

Kennis and Jeneh joined in, Kennis replicating the Brie's steps almost instantly, Jeneh however was looking nervous as if she was scared that she would make a fool of herself.  Brie smiled encouragingly at her and soon she was giggling riotously as she struggled to keep up with him.

In the centre of the dance-floor Dan spied Chase looking unusually hot and flustered in a short-sleeved navy Ted Baker shirt and jeans that he realised nearly at once and with much annoyance were his own that Chase had obviously pinched out of his wardrobe after he had left to set up earlier that evening.  

It didn't take Dan long to work out what had got Chase so hot under the collar because dancing very provocatively not more than a foot away was Ish looking particularly fine and almost witch like in a black outfit that faintly reminded Dan of Lucy Liu in the Charlie's Angel's films he had seen at the cinema some years ago.  

Dan roared with laughter as his friends' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets with hopeless over-excitement as Ish wiggled her firm little butt about half an inch away from Chase's groin.

Dan panned the camera away before Ish's antics made him break out in a sweat as he changed the song once more.   

He manoeuvred the camera so that it was surveying the crowded dance-floor from a distance and found that he liked what he saw.  

The place was literally heaving with people and the music was so loud that you couldn't even here yourself think.  People were dancing as if their lives depended upon it, as if it was the only thing that mattered to them, that they were living entirely for the music; a mass of bumping and grinding scantly clad bodies writhing against one another, couples dancing so close that it looked like they were a single person as hot bare flesh rubbed against hot bare flesh.  

There was something very powerful and erotic about the trance like, rhythmic crowd as they moved and grooved in time to the beat that almost, but not quite, made Dan wish that he was amongst them and not watching them from his position behind his decks upon the stage above them.  


	20. Part 20 Can't get no sleep

Dan lay in his bed unable to sleep but unwilling to get up in case he woke up Chase who was peacefully sleeping in his bed on the other side of the room.  Every now and again he mumbled something incomprehensible and shifted his position.

Dan sighed with frustration he had to get up early in the morning to prepare the Elites next broadcast; which was scheduled for airing before Kennis and the others went out to pick up anyone who wanted to join them.  He just needed to edit and insert some of the footage he'd captured from tonight's party and finish planning the voice over.

Still on a high, buzzing from the success of the night Dan decided planning next weeks set might help him chill enough to be able to catch some much needed shut-eye in the few remaining hours before dawn.

A combination of dance tracks, pop and some soulful grooves:

Beverly Knight – Lately

Macy Grey – I Try

Linkin Park – In The End

Tatu- All the Things She Said

Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go

Deepest Blue – Deepest Blue 

NSYNC – Girlfriend

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – The Fresh Prince Of Bell Air 

Phatts & Small – Turn Around

D:Ream – Things Can Only Get Better

Christina Aguilera – Genie In A Bottle

Outcast – Miss Jackson

Blackout – Mr DJ

Inner City – Good Life

Goldtrix – Trippin

Sonique – Feels So Good

Murder On The Dance floor – Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Boom Funk MC's – Freestyler

Lasgo _ Something

Rui Da Silva – Touch Me

Dan was still thinking about next week's set and tomorrow's imminent broadcast when he eventually drifted of to sleep.


	21. Part 21 A cut & paste job

Dan sat alone in the editing booth sifting through some of the video's he'd shot for that day's impending broadcast.  There was some great footage and he just needed to sort it out into an appropriate order.  

Dan decided to start with a shot of a deserted, litter strewn street, to one side there was a fire burning in an abandoned oil drum and to the other there was a blackened burnt-out car, the glass from it's shattered windscreen sparkled in the firelight looking like a thousand tiny diamonds.  

The next shot was of a playground covered in graffiti; the swings were blowing in the wind and it looked like they were being ridden upon by invisible children.  The sky was grey and cloud filled as if a storm was brewing.  

The final image in the first section was of a grubby child dressed in rages with his or her back to the camera as they scavenged in a rubbish tip frantically searching for scraps of food in the pouring rain. 

The next set of clips showed life as a member of the Elite and had various shots of the facilities on campus. 

The first was of a group of people all of whom were dressed in the Elite's black uniform chatting outside the main building, the next was of lunch being served in the food hall, followed by one of Chase and Ish dressed in green gowns performing an operation in the state of the art operating theatre that was housed in what had once been part of the medical faculties training block. 

These shots provided a stark contrast to the first set and Dan hoped that they would help illustrate that the Elite could provide people with basic necessities that were becoming increasingly difficult to find with ease on the 'outside'.  

The final set of shots began with one of the cows grazing peacefully in one of the fields at the farm and was followed by a glimpse of the beach at sunset, then the library; brightly lit with florescent lighting, its shelves crammed full of books.  There was a shot of some of the Elites members sitting upon rows of chairs in the darkened room that served as the cinema; they were watching the final of the Matrix films projected on a huge screen mounted on one of the four-whitewashed walls.  Then there were shots of people using the well-equipped gym, Olympic sized swimming pool and the climbing wall in the fitness centre and finally some footage he had taken at the previous nights party.

Now all that was left to do was run the voice over so that each of the paragraphs he had written and pre-recorded were in time with the sections of clips that represented the general feeling of the message he aimed to convey.  He idly flicked one of the switches on the control panel in front of him which turned on the red light outside the door to the booth which signalled that he was recording and should not be disturbed.

Eventually Dan was happy with the timing of the words and images, so he saved the final version to disk, shut down his equipment and went to inform Ed that he was ready to broadcast.


	22. Part 22 The Broadcast

_Plasma screens illuminate at several locations on the Island.  _ _The broadcast commences…_

This is the dawn of a new era for humankind.

'We' are on our own.

There are no parents, no preachers, no politicians to control us.

'We' struggle to survive in ghostly cities or wherever we can in this primitive new world immersed in confusion, danger and fear.

But with disaster comes opportunity.

A new beginning.

Our goal is to build a better way of life than those before us.  

To protect our members from the forces of darkness and the chaos of the world outside.

Look to the future.

The**Elite.******

_End of broadcast.  _

_Images on plasma screens are faded out._


	23. Part 23 Introducing Elisa & Dayne

Dayne, and Elisa were sitting on the grass outside the medical wing chatting.  They made an odd couple Elisa being just fifteen and Dayne twenty-four although the glasses he wore and his freckles make him look much younger.  There was also nearly a foot's difference in their heights. 

Dayne worked with Chase and Ish in the medical centre and the knowledge he had gleaned from books since the virus had hit and he had had to leave medical school in Canada was proving to be invaluable, as was his caring nature.

In contrast Elisa didn't really have a 'place' in the Elite as such and was pretty much an outcast in the small tightly knit community.  

She reminded Dayne of an angry kitten as lay on grass next to him smouldering with resentment, cat-like green eyes flashing as she scooped her shoulder length blonde low-lighted hair up into a ponytail.  

Dayne ran his fingers worriedly through his unruly brown hair as he laughed trying to make light of the situation partly because he knew how much it was bothering her.

"It's not funny."  She raged, "I don't know why you're laughing".

"I know it sucks but Robin and your brother are right".  Dayne sighed.  "Some crazy could get hold of you and then you'd be in big trouble, you know what would happen, they'd use you to get at Ed.  Anyway you're not exactly top off the Islanders popularity poll and I don't want you to get hurt out there".

"God, I wish he wasn't my brother, this place was never my idea in the first place and it's getting more and more like a plastic bubble every day". Elisa fumed, pounding one first upon the ground in a childish gesture of frustration.

"Where would you be without the Elite?  You'd be just like the rest of the over-privileged kids from round here starving and dirty and little miss rich and perfect wouldn't enjoy that one bit so don't argue with me about this any more".  Dayne answered.

"I can't help being the way I am, I was born into it, I didn't ask to have the lifestyle of the rich and famous" Elisa told him. "I didn't ask to be Ed's sister, I didn't want special treatment, I just want to fit in, to have a job, somewhere where I belong, to have some friends who like me because of who I am and not what I am". 

"That's crap, you do have friends".  Dayne responded beginning to tire of Elisa's self-pity.  All her life she had everything she ever wanted, a truly enviable home, famous friends, the best education money could buy, brains, beauty, a family who adored her and gave her everything she asked for.  The only major changes in Elisa's life since the virus and pulse hit, other than the loss of her parents, had been her postcode and the sudden lack of new clothes and beauty products.

"I have you, Dan, Robin, Jeneh and a brother I hardly ever see, big f**king wow!"  Elisa shouted as she got up and stormed off back to her room to sulk.

Sometimes, girls were really not worth the hassle.  Dayne decided as he ran his fingers through is hair once more, making it even messier than it had been, as he got up and hurried off to meet the others who had been assigned to go and collect any potential new members.


	24. Part 24 The thrill of the drive

Kennis smiled broadly as she turned into the car park and pulled up in front of those that were coming on the so called round up with her.  Today was one of the few days when she actually got to drive and nothing made Kennis feel so good as being behind the wheel, she loved the feeling of control, the danger and the thrill as she sped along the open road.

She looked though the windscreen at the others standing around like a bunch of overexcited school kids waiting for the bus to take them home on the last day of term.  They piled eagerly into the van as Kennis quickly glanced down at the list of instructions Robin had given her earlier that morning.  

"Ok guys here's what's going down were gonna start off with the main square then move onto the leisure complex and finally the waterfront.  Travis, Dayne, Livia and Brie you'll make up one group.  Jeremy, Layth, Hobson and Ish you'll be the second group".  Kennis glanced up from her list and frowned. 

 "Where's Ish and what are you doing here?"  She said noticing Choy for the first time.

"Little Miss Thang was busy so the boss-man told me to come along instead".  Choy sneered in response.

Kennis cringed in disgust, what on earth had Ed been thinking of when he made that decision?  Choy was sure to put off any potential's they might have recruited.

"As soon as we're through the barriers please turn on your wrist cams".  She informed them as she turned the key in the ignition and pulled away from the kerb.

The roads they travelled down were just like any other on the Island and Kennis imagined that it must have been very picturesque before the virus.  The pavements were now broken up in places and strew with garbage, many of the trees that had lined the verges had been cut down, the houses were often in needed of repair, their overgrown front lawns glittering with glass where all the windows had been smashed.  The town itself was derelict every restaurant and shop had been looted and smashed up and yet this was where the majority of those who had survived the virus chose to make there homes.

Kennis pulled up next to the electric fence that protected the huge plasma screen the Elites used to transmit their broadcasts from being vandalised.  She pulled on the handbrake and switched off the engine.  Jeremy opened the door and he and the other got out and made off in their respective groups to pick up anyone who had decided to join the Elite.

Kennis held up her the tiny camera strapped to the front of her arm to ensure that she got some good footage for Dan of the two teams making their way around the town centre.  They looked startlingly out of place all clean and neat in their strikingly simple black uniforms.  In contrast, they made the inhabitants of the ghostlike war-torn town centre look even more scruffy, malnourished and depraved than they usually did.

Kennis turned and closed the sliding door behind them, as she did so she smiled at the signage printed across the side of the van in Travis's graffiti like scrawl.  

"The Elite" was all it said but it made Kennis proud to be one of them, a member of the group who would ultimately make the world a better place to live in for those who had survived the virus and it's aftermath an electro-magnetic pulse.

Kennis climbed back into the van, opened the glove compartment and extracted the handgun that Robin had given her in case she needed to protect herself, the van or her companions on her travels in the 'big, bad world' outside of the Elite's campus. 

She settled herself comfortably into her seat behind the steering wheel and waited for the others to return.


	25. Part 25Bad boys & the girl of his dreams

Jeremy, Layth, Hobson and Choy walked down one of the deserted back streets of what had once been the Islands vibrant and bustling town centre.  Jeremy confidently swaggered along in front of the others three; one of his hands in his trouser pocket as he whistled a tune unrecognisable to anybody but himself, Choy half walked, half jogged along at his shoulder panting as his short, scrawny legs struggled to keep up with Jeremy's longer stride.  In contrast, Hobson loped along behind Choy, his shoulders hunched over as he stared at the ground refusing to make eye contact with anyone.  Layth sauntered along at the back constantly surveying the Islanders who stood huddled in groups and often ran off as they approached for any potential converts.

At the end of the street Jeremy paused and peered around the corner causing the others to almost trip over each other as they ground to an abrupt standstill behind him.

"What are we doing here?"  Hobson asked nobody in particular.

"I don't know it's not on the map our beloved leader supplied us with, so maybe you can answer that Jeremy, what are we doing here?"  Choy asked his voice riddled with sarcasm.

Layth stepped out from behind the others and snuck a peck around the corner.  "If I didn't know better, I'd think that was a den of ill repute".  He concluded his voice as cool and calm as ever.

"And you'd be right".  Jeremy told him "Do you want to make something of it?" he threatened the younger boy.

Layth's only response was to hold one hand up in a gesture that Jeremy perceived to mean that he was not going to make any trouble.

Choy smirked and patted the ever-present pack of cards in the pocket of his overly long jeans.  A place like that usually meant that gambling was involved and if there was one thing he excelled at it was playing cards.

"How'd you know this place was here?" Hobson asked in his usual slow and slightly dopey sounding drawl.

"Been here before, these guys have respect for people like us and they treat us accordingly, good games, great booze and most importantly some seriously hot chicks". Jeremy gloated buffing his chest out like a male bird showing off to it's mate.

"But there's loads of girls in the Elite" Hobson said somewhat confused.

"They're all princesses like Elisa, prick teasers like Livia or just plain bitches like that piece Chase is after".  Choy summarised nastily.  

"If you could have one of them who would it be?" he questioned the other three before answering for them.  

"Layth would pick the lovely Elisa, cos' it's gonna be the only way he'll ever get to be related to his hero the almighty Ed".  Choy laughed scornfully as Layth screwed up his face in disgust but refused to rise to Choy's taunting.  

"Hobson's choice, that would have to be the luscious Livia because he goes weak at the knees every time she so much as glances in his direction and lets face it mate the only way you're ever going to get laid is by a slag like her".    Hobson went the colour of a ripened tomato, embarrassed that Choy had revealed his crush to the other guys and angry about what his friend had said about Livia but not enough to stand up to Choy.

"Jez, my main man your choice is equally easy to guess, after all little miss mechanic Kennis worships the ground you walk upon and you guys have known each other practically forever.  So are you gonna tell us what's she like?  I bet she's real hot between the sheets".  Choy finished with an evil grin plastered across his weasel-like face.

"Nah, Kennis and I are just mates, I wouldn't go there, she's not my type.  She however is fine and more than just my type, absolutely f**king perfect" Jeremy said running his fingers through his hair and stepping casually out of the shadows.

Dan sat in the control room looking at the monitors on which the shots from each of the eight wrist cams were showing, he was beginning to get really annoyed with the guys, Jeremy for abusing his position on the collection crew to visit seedy clubs, Ed would be more than a little upset with him when he found out, Layth for standing there and not doing his job or standing up for his friends, Hobson, for well just being Hobson but most of all be was angry with Choy for being the backstabbing, evil little bas***d that he had always known he was,  Dan was thoroughly disgusted with Choy's comments about his friends.

Dan briefly glanced back at the screens, his heart stopped and he quickly paused one of the monitors and stared at the girl the one who Jeremy had thought was perfect and he had been right because she was most definitely the 'one' at least as far as Dan was concerned.  Picture perfect, she wore knee-high leather boots the colour of milky coffee, a matching sleeveless cotton turtleneck and an a-line aquamarine leather miniskirt that had a strange metallic sheen to it.  Her large, long lashed, almond shaped, hazel eyes were ringed with shadow the same colour as her skirt, her lips were plump and glossy, her check bones were high and her nose perfectly proportioned.  Her skin was lightly and evenly tanned, her hair fell in long tousled waves to past her shoulders and was the colours of just ripened wheat and honey.  She was petit and slender without being unfeminine and Dan likened her to either Kate Moss or Anna Kournikova or maybe a mixture of them both.

Hastily Dan saved the image and wrenched his gaze away from the screen as a sudden movement on one of the other monitors caught his attention.

"Come on Jeremy wait are you waiting for? After all a man's gotta satisfy his urges.  What you gonna do about yours?"  Choy taunted him.  "Frigin chicken, afraid she'll turn you down are you? Can't get any unless you pay?  Or are you just not man enough?"  Choy jeered.

If there was one thing Jeremy hated more than anything else it was being called a coward. Jeremy strode purposefully towards the girl intent on showing Choy exactly what he was made off.

The girl had stopped and was leaning against the wall as she bent over to adjust the zip on her boots.  Dan could see the fear in her eyes as Jeremy's shadow seamed to engulf her slender form, as he grew ever closer.

As she straightened up Jeremy hurriedly stuck one arm out so that it was touching the wall next to her head as he edged nearer still until he was just centimetres from the girls terrified face, "Don't you know who I am?"  Jeremy questioned her his voice little more than a menacing whisper.  Dan looked on helplessly as the girl nodded in response to frightened to speak, her eyes darting nervously in the opposite direction only to find that her escape route was blocked by Choy and Hobson who had moved closer to get a better look at what was going on.

She tried to duck underneath Jeremy's arm but he grabbed hold of her and shoved her hard back against the cold stonewall.  He bent down in an attempt to kiss her and hastily drew his head away as she bit him hard on his lower lip making it bleed.

"Come on Jeremy, I thought you were made of stronger stuff than this, you gonna take a beating from a little girl?" Choy laughed nastily as he leered whilst staying just out of both Jeremy and the girls reach.

In response Jeremy grabbed a handful of the girls hair and pulled her head back so viciously Dan thought for a moment that her neck might snap. Jeremy tried to keep her pinned tightly pressed against him and the wall and as he kissed her again hard on the mouth she began to struggle, to scream, kick, scratch at his face and bite as she fought against him although her very life depended on her getting away.

Choy signalled for Hobson to take hold of her yelling "She's a whore, a dirty piece of Island scum" as he hesitated and although Hobson didn't think she looked especially like any whore he'd ever seen he was too scared of what Choy might do or say if he didn't do as he was told so he grabbed the girls arms in a vice like grip and Jeremy began to tare at her clothes, as her body went limp both Jeremy and Choy fell upon her with the beast like savagery of a pack of hyenas ferociously ripping apart their prey.

Dan, stunned by the horrific scene unfolding before his very eyes reached for the alarm as one by one the monitors went blank as the wrist cams were broken in the monstrous assault on the girl, until the only functioning one was Layth's as he stood transfixed his eyes never looking away from what was happening.

Almost immediately the door to the control room was thrust open and Robin ran in.  "What the f**ks going on?"  He shouted at Dan who jumped to his feet.

"Group two, Jeremy and that arsehole Choy have got hold of some girl and it looks like they're beating her half to death".  Dan responded his voice shaking with equal combinations of anger and loathing.

Robin glanced briefly and disbelievingly at the monitors then back and Dan.

"Sh*t!  He exclaimed as he rushed hastily over to the safe on the wall and typed in the security code, yanking the door open he pulled out a gun and held it out to Dan to snatched it out of his hand and stuffed it into his back pocket.  

"You know where this is?"  Robin interrogated him.  Dan nodded.  "Ok, here's what were going to do, take the gun and the keys to the jeep and get there as fast as you can, I'll radio Kennis and get Dayne to meet you at the corner of West and Town street, got that?"  Dan nodded again.  

"Right get going, I'll handle things here" Robin told him bluntly.

Keys in hand Dan ran down all three flights of stairs and jumped into the waiting jeep with out even pausing to open the door, the wheels crunched and span on the gravel as he sped off shattering the peace of what, up until now, had been an almost perfect day.

Robin turned to the job at hand.  He switched on the radio.  "Kennis?  Kennis?  Are you there?" he asked trying to keep his voice as calm as possible.

"Robin is that you?  Where's Dan?"  She asked.

"I'll explain later, listen to me something's going down, I need you to go and pick up group one and get straight back here as soon as possible, Ok?" 

"Why?  What's going on? What about Jeremy and the others?"  Kennis asked fear creeping into her voice as she spoke.

"Just group one they're on North Road at the moment" he said glancing at the monitors once more.

"I'm not leaving Jeremy".  Kennis started to argue.

"This is not a request Kennis it's an order so do it, pick up group one, drop Dayne off at the corner of West and Town, tell him to stay out of sight until Dan gets there, then get back here as fast as you can".  He almost yelled.

"One more thing if you see Jeremy or any of the others keep on driving, don't stop under any circumstances.  Do you understand me?"

Kennis turning the keys in the ignition but as she replied over the noise of the engine Robin could tell that she was scared.

"And Kennis, be careful".  Robin added his voice softening for an instant before he put down the radio and hurtled off to attempt to try and locate Ed before all hell broke loose.


	26. Part 26 Finally here is the next part

The jeep screeched to a sudden halt at the corner of West and Town and Dayne stepped out from the shadows of the dumpster behind which he had been hiding, he clambered into the passenger seat, barely having time to shut the door before Dan sped off once more. Dayne stared ahead frozen with fear as Dan put his foot to the floor hurling the jeep round street corner after street corner at break-neck speed as though he were a rally driver.

His knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel and stared stonily ahead his mind overflowing with images of the girl from the camera footages face, his ears ringing with the sound of her screams and the frenzied scrabbling of her limbs as she tried to free herself from her attackers.

Wordlessly he pulled up at the end of the darkened back street and leaping out he rushed over to the crumpled heap that was the unconscious girl slumped against the wall.

It took Dayne a couple of seconds to spring into action; grabbing the medical kit from under the front seat he hurriedly made his way over to the girl shoving a reluctant Dan aside so that he could examine his newest patient. Her lip was badly split and a trickle of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth, one side of the girls face was already discolouring with bruising, her chest was exposed and scored with deep lacerations, on the portion of her back Dayne could see without moving her there were a number of bruises that clearly resembled boot prints but most worrying of all was that her breathing was shallow and irregular and her pulse weak.

As the noise from inside the nearby club grew louder he turned to Dan. "The others, they did this?" Dayne questioned him. Dan nodded in response.

"She's in a bad way, if we're gonna get her out of here we have to do it now, if we get caught with her in this state we'll be linched". Dayne informed him as he began to panic.

"What do you mean if? We did this, not just Jeremy and Choy, we all did and we're going to fix it do you understand me?" Dan spat menacingly.

"Ok man, I was just saying, but we need to be quick otherwise she's going to die out here on the street and so will we if we don't get a move on". Dayne replied signalling for Dan to hold the girl's head and neck still whilst he slid a neck brace around it.

He lifted her carefully into the back of the jeep as he did so her arms fell limply by her sides like those of a rag doll. Dayne climbed in beside her and instructed Dan to drive steadily home.


	27. Part 27 The Aftermarth

THE AFTERMARTH

"But they couldn't have, I don't believe you". Kennis screamed at Robin across the control room.

"Well they did! You really don't believe me?" Robin yelled back. "Dan's got it all on video, look". He grabbed Kennis by the wrist and dragged her over to the monitor.

She turned her head away from it refusing to look at the evidence as Robin hit the play button for what seemed like the millionth time in the past couple of hours.

"Jeremy would never do anything so terrible, Choy maybe but not the others, not Jeremy". Kennis started to sob.

Robin didn't know what to do or say, he could scarcely believe that anyone he knew could be capable of the violence he had witnessed. He knew Kennis was desperate to defend Jeremy and that she was in love with him, that they shared years of history and had travelled across the globe together in order to join the Elite. She had trusted him and he had betrayed her and their friendship as well as the Elite.

Dan sat on a plastic chair next to the bed staring blankly at the walls of the little white hospital room, the smell and the starkness reminded him of a time not so long ago when he had sat next to his fathers hospital bed and listened to him gasp his final painful breaths, another victim of the virus, it was at that moment, before the electromagnetic pulse, before the world they lived in ended, before the riots and the chaos that he had decided to join the Elite.

The only sound was the gentle hissing of the ventilator and the beeping of the machines as they monitored the unconscious girls breathing and heart rate. Blood had congealed around the stitches in her lip and cheek and one side of her face was already discolouring with a rainbow of bruising, her torso was heavily bandaged to aid the healing of the broken ribs and punctured lung, her right hand was encased in a heavy plaster cast, where her wrist and two of her fingers had been broken.

Tears of rage pricked the back of Dan's eyes and a black ball of hatred consumed his very soul. The crime Choy and the others had committed was unforgivable and Dan was going to find a way to make them pay for attacking the defenceless girl so viciously, like a pack of rabid dogs, beating her un-mercilessly to within an inch of her life, they were at best rapists and although Dan didn't want to admit it, probably murderers. Dan was so angry the only thing he could think about was how he was going to ensure that he made them pay for what they had done.


	28. Part 28 Final farewell

"Robin… you have to let me see him." Kennis pleaded.

Robin looked up; she was a wreck, her long hair matted, her eyes red and swollen from having spent the past couple of hours crying. Just the thought of Kennis crying made Robin want to hurt Jeremy so bad, but he was better than that, he wasn't going to lower himself to that level.

Kennis was clearly distraught not only because of what Jeremy had done but because she still had to tell her brother that his _hero_ was a coward and a rapist.

"This is a really bad idea hasn't he upset you enough already? Just go back to your room," Robin told her as he held her by the wrist and tried to lead her away.

"I **need **to see him". Kennis argued pulling her arms out of his guiding hands and turning to confront him.

"Ed ordered me that nobody was to see the…" He paused not really sure what to say. Raping bastards sprung to mind but if he called them that it would just upset Kennis further.

"He won't find out not unless you tell him". "Please I just need to find out why he did it. I need to understand". Kennis pleaded somewhat defeatedly.

Against his better judgment Robin led Kennis down one of the now disserted corridors and stopping in front of what had once been an office he unlocked the door and motioned for Kennis to step inside the dimly lit room. He closed the door behind her and waited silently seething with himself for giving in to Kennis and letting her do something that would surely cause her more pain.

Jeremy was staring blankly at the bare walls as he sat slumped on an old office chair in the darkened room. He looked up as the door closed and jumping from his chair he wrapped his arms tightly around Kennis. For an instant she relaxed allowing herself to be comforted by his touch one last time, then suddenly overwhelmed with revulsion she pushed him quickly away, he sat down abruptly, a stunned look upon his face.

"Don't touch me…" She yelled her voice unusually cold but at the same time laden with tears.

He noticed the change in her voice first, then her eyes they were red and sore where she had been crying.

"Kennis, what's going on?" He asked although he knew what the answer would be.

She stared at him incredulously before replying.

"How could you?" She demanded. "How could you do something so awful, so barbaric, so disgusting"?

Kennis started to cry for what seemed like the millionth time in the last couple of hours and for the first time since they had met nothing Jeremy could do or say was going to make her feel any better.

Jeremy buried his head in his hands. He didn't know what to tell her. And then he just let the one word answer spill from his lips, "Choy."

Kennis frowned with disbelief. "You're blaming all this on Choy?"

Jeremy said nothing; there was no excuse.

"Let me guess, Choy made you look like a coward, a loser, a little boy? What exactly did he say Jeremy, because I'm dying to know how he convinced you that you should rape that girl." She yelled angrily as she furiously wiped away the tears with the back of her hand.

"Well since you know me so damn well then you already know the answer Kennis." Jeremy yelled in response his blood beginning to boil for the second time that day.

"What happened out there Jeremy? Because god knows I've been defending your sorry arse for far too long, and now people laughing at me for being such a fool, for defending a damn rapist." Tears were threatening to pour from her eyes once more because there was no doubt in her mind that she'd be losing a friend, her best friend, the boy she'd loved for so long before this nightmare was over.

"He made me so angry, he goaded me into it, I saw red and I lost control, I didn't know what I was doing". Jeremy tried in vain to defend himself against the undefendable.

"I had control over something for once, for the first time since we came here".

"You abused your power, don't try and defend yourself or blame this on anyone else, they were words, just words, nothing else and you let them get to you". Kennis fumed.

"I had control…" he started again, ignoring her. Kennis just stood there, he was in a state of mind that she'd rarely seen him in, but she knew it all too well. She just couldn't believe that he had done this terrible thing and that he was trying to convince her that it wasn't his fault.

"You abused your position, the Elites position on this island; you belittled everything they have given us, everything that they have done for you, Travis and me".

Jeremy's eyes flashed, "The Elite hold me down…I feel like I'm a prisoner and have to ask permission to take a damn piss on my own."

"The Elite saved us, or did you forget that?" Kennis demanded. "They've given us a home, friendship, the food in our bellies, the clothes on our backs, a purpose, a chance to make a difference, to be somebody. The life we have now is so much better than our old ones".

"The Elite…" Jeremy began.

"Saved our lives, if we hadn't come here we'd be starving, living on the streets or worse we'd be dead". Kennis argued passionately.

Jeremy closed his eyes. "That's right Jeremy, you remember, sleeping rough on those freezing cold nights in an alley way, with no food, no water and no protection. That was how it was, how it would have been if we hadn't have come here".

Silence.

Jeremy knew she was right, and couldn't bear to raise his head to look her in the eye.

"You can't even begin to understand, I loved you, Travis idolizes you, we traveled across nearly half the world together, I thought we were a family".

Jeremy looked up.

"You're a good person Jeremy, I know it, at least I thought I knew it. We've been best friends for how long? We've seen each other through everything and I've always stood by you, but you raped her Jeremy, and not because you're a bad person, but because you're a coward, because you wanted to look like a big man and that's the worst kind of person." She sobbed in anguish.

The tears were pouring out of her eyes. Jeremy stood up and reached out to her wiping the pads of his thumbs across her cheeks, brushing away the teardrops in an intimate gesture. "I'm sorry…" he muttered.

"Why are you apologizing to me? I'm not the one you raped". She screamed pulling away from him once more, turning so that her back was facing him and he couldn't see the pain that his betrayal had caused her etched across her tearstained face.

"They're going to make you leave you know, that's if they don't kill you." She told him sadly.

Jeremy backed away, "I know…"

"Travis and I are staying…"

"I don't blame you…"

"Blame me for what?" Kennis asked turning angrily towards him once again.

"Abandoning me". He said turning away. Kennis grabbed hold of his arms and spun him around so that he was looking directly into her eyes.

"I'm not abandoning you, you abandoned us, you abandoned me and Travis the moment you let Choy hit that nerve". She spat.

"I wish things were different". He said, realizing for the first time just how badly he had messed up.

"Me too, but when it comes down to it, you screwed up, you screwed up so badly this time that it can never be fixed."

"I know. Don't you think I know that?!" He shouted.

"Damn it Jeremy!" Kennis yelled back as she her fists pounded his chest, "I love you, why are you doing this to me? Playing games the whole time, doing shit like this!"

"I love you too" he said grabbing her wrists, "You know that I love you".

"Don't you think it's a bit to late for all this? To finally tell me that you love me, I've waited like forever to hear you say those words and now they don't even matter, they leave a bitter taste in my mouth". Kennis admitted, her arms going limp in his grasp.

"But I do…" He began.

"But you won't ever love me the way I loved you, the way I wished, every night that you would love me, the way I needed you to love me."

Jeremy was stunned.

"You ruined our lives, mine, Travis', yours, enjoy the mess you made". She sobbed.

"I'm sorry". Jeremy was crying too now.

Sorry for betraying me? Travis? The Elite? Sorry for letting yourself be provoked into raping that poor girl? Sorry that you got caught on camera? That there's no way for you to wriggle out of this? No way for me to save your sorry arse even if I still wanted too? Sorry that you're going to be punished? That you'll go to hell because of what you've done? She asked despondently.

She turned and looked at him one last time before leaving the room and Jeremy, who sat there, all alone and started to imagine what his life would be like without the only two people who had ever given it meaning.

Kennis closed the door behind her, wiping her eyes as she stepped aside allowing Robin to lock the door. She stared across the hall blankly her eyes full of grief and pain. Robin dropped the keys into his pocket and inched closer to her.

"You okay?" he asked.

She tried to put on a brave face and smile as she nodded in response. "I just came to say goodbye". She told him as they turned and walked away, down the corridor together.


	29. Part 29 Desperate Dan

Dan sat alone in the dark, the light from his computer screen the only light remaining in the deserted building, he stared at the now empty bottle of whisky that he'd stolen earlier from Ed's private stash, then again at the blank screen in front of him.

His mind was consumed with hatred, for Jeremy and Choy, Layth and Hobson, at the Elite and mostly at himself for believing in the cause. Believing they could change society, make a better, less corrupt world than before.

The drink had done nothing to dim the pain, the anger and the desire to exact revenge that was threatening to overwhelm him.

Slowly, drunkenly he began to sort through the footage he had selected to accompany tomorrows broadcast or rather today's as it was already 3am he noticed as he glanced at the tiny digital clock in the bottom left-hand corner of his screen.

The first shot was of the Elites logo and the campus itself lit up against the backdrop of a particularly pretty sunset, Slowly the colours changed from blue to purple, to pink and orange before finally stopping as it turned blood red. The next images were individual headshots of Layth, Hobson, Jeremy and Choy that had been taken when they had first come to the Elite, they were dirty, bedraggled and thin, not unlike the Islanders themselves.

These were followed by the still that Dan had caught and saved of the girl outside the club just before the attack.

The next images captured the terror in her eyes, the lust in Choy's, the uncontrolled rage and desire in Jeremy's and the confusion, fear and disbelief in both Hobson and Layth's.

Then there were some shots of the girl laying bruised and broken, looking pale and fragile surrounded by monitors in the stark, harsh and slightly unearthly whiteness of her hospital room.

Finally were the shots of the guards lined up outside the main gates all dressed alike in their long black uniform coats, each of them brandishing a baseball bat, tense as they awaited the return of the perpetrators after their long, damp, freezingly cold walk back from the town following their brutal attack.

The broadcast finished off with four shots of each of them alone in their small bare, dark cells, shortly after their capture, still covered in her blood, and dirty and wet, lastly, underneath each picture was a list of their crimes.

_Plasma screens illuminate at several locations on the Islands. _ _The broadcast commences…_

WITH POWER COMES CHAOS, THE POTENTIAL FOR CONTROL AND ABUSE.

Today four members of the Elite committed a terrible crime against an innocent girl who lies unconscious in our infirmary teetering between life and death.

WITH POWER COMES RESPONSIBILITY.

Those involved will be made to pay for their actions, assault, gang rape and potentially murder.

We make no excuses for them and can only apologise for their actions.

THEIR PUNISHMENT?

YOU DECIDE…

A public trial will be held at the Campus today at 4pm, footage of the attack will be shown followed by a public vote.

_End of broadcast. _

_Images on plasma screens are faded out._


	30. Part 30 Today is gonna be the day

Finally Robin's guard's managed to silence the rowdy crowd who up until that moment had been baying like a pack of hounds awaiting a fresh kill. They stood like grim reapers their bats in hand at the end of each row of seating, at the edge of the stage and on the exit. The auditorium was jam packed, crammed full of Islanders there to witness the trial, like sardines squashed into a tin.

From his station in the control room Robin glanced at each of the monitors, those pointing at the gateway to the campus and those situated inside the auditorium. He shuddered at the thought of amount of damage the Islanders could potentially do to the facility. Thank god he'd had the presence of mind to ensure that they had all been searched for weapons before they'd been allowed admittance.

Scouring the overcrowded room he was pleased that he could not find the faces of Kennis and Travis anywhere amongst the throng, the trial was bound to be too distressing for them to watch. Fuelled with an unusual glimmer of optimism Robin decided that maybe, just maybe once this was over he would be able to pluck up the courage to tell Kennis how he felt about her. The very thought of which made his knees knock together with nerves.

Robin took a deep breath and composed himself before settling into position in an old office chair in front of the monitors as the jury entered the room and sat either side of the long table positioned upon the stage.

There were some shouts of abuse and about justice and how it was unfair to judge the perpetrators with a jury solely comprising of high ranking members of the Elite. The heckling escalated as Ed came and took his place at the head of the table and then finally a deathly silence as he raised his hand to signal that the trial was about to begin.

Today, this trial would decide the future, not only of the rapists, but also of the Elite itself and its dominant position on the island.

Today, was the most important day in their history and the deciding factor of the whole future of the new civilisation they had created.


	31. Part 31 True confessions

The table itself was usually used for meetings, there were three empty seats those usually occupied by other high ranking Elites, Kennis, Robin and most noticeably Layth.

On one side sat Livia, Ish and Elisa, neatly dressed in their black uniforms, their hair tied back in ponytails, their faces tense. On the other sat Dayne, Brie and Chase all smartly dressed with serious expressions. Finally, at the top of the table furthest away from the audience sat Dan, his face was white and visibly clammy, his fists clenched to prevent his hands from shaking not just as a result of the previous nights drinking binge but also with a mixture of rage and apprehension.

Ed stood up, his presence immediately commanding the undivided attention of the Islanders seated below even before he had begun to speak.

"We are gathered here today to witness the trial of four Elite members, Choy, Jeremy, Hobson and Layth. It will be left to our jurors and you the audience to decide their fate".

The huge cinema screen illuminates and pictures from the live video links to the cells holding the accused are displayed to those in the auditorium for the first time.

"Before we proceed, I am obliged to remind you of their crimes. Choy, you are charged with extreme provocation, grievous bodily harm, rape and attempted murder. How do you plead?"

The camera zooms in on Choy's cell. He deliberately with his back to the camera and does not answer. Ed repeats the question and still there is no answering comment.

The camera switches shots and zooms in on Jeremy. Jeremy is standing facing the camera, his hands rammed into his jean pockets, his head hanging ashamedly, his eyes down cast.

"Jeremy, you are charged with grievous bodily harm, rape, and attempted murder. How do you plead?"

"Guilty" Jeremy mumbles. "I am guilty" He repeats more clearly. Although, in my defence, I was intolerably provoked, but I still raped that girl and I was one of three who beat her for fighting back. I was angry, I just saw red, I know that it's not an excuse but I lost control". Jeremy looks up and directly into the camera lens. "I am sorry that I raped that girl that I've hurt the only two people who ever cared about me and I'm willing to accept whatever punishment the Elite sees fit". There are tears of remorse and fear brimming in Jeremy's eyes as he finishes speaking.

The camera then zooms in on the cell holding Hobson and those present see a close up of his large, sorrowful, grubby face.

"Hobson, you are charged with grievous bodily harm, attempted murder and as an accessory to rape. How do you plead?"

"Guilty, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have hit her or held her down, but he told me too and he said some horrible things about my friends, so I did what he told me so he'd be quiet. It was a bad thing that they did and I helped them do it, I joined in and hurt her and I'm sorry for what I've done to that poor girl". Hobson said his voice breaking as he hastily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

The camera zooms in on the final room, the cell holding Layth. Layth stood erect and calmly in the centre of the tiny room, his eyes ice cold and void of any obvious emotion, his white blond hair pulled back into it's customary ponytail.

Ed swallowed with difficulty and when he carried on his voice was steady.

"Our final case is not as clear cut as the other three, Layth has committed no actual crime, however, he knew that the others were not following the orders they had been given, he witness three fellow members of the Elite assault and brutally rape an innocent girl but still he did nothing, he failed to radio for backup, he failed to intervene and try to prevent the unprovoked attack, he did not even ask the attackers to stop. Layth you are accused of being and accessory to grievous bodily harm, rape and attempted murder. How do you plead?"

Layth's face was chalk white. "I am a coward. I have betrayed the Elite who took me in, who gave me food to eat, a warm dry roof over my head, clothes, a job and a chance to make a difference. I am sorry I have let you all down, that I have let myself down. I was too afraid to stand up to Choy and Jeremy just as Hobson was, I was afraid that they would turn on me if I intervened, asked them to stop or radioed for backup. As a direct result of my cowardliness an innocent person was assaulted and raped. I am not worthy of the responsibility my tribe bestowed upon me, I am not a worthy member of the Elite. I am guilty of everything you've accused me of and being the worst kind of coward there is".

There was a brief pause before Ed carried on.

"You have heard the accused speak and explain their actions in their own words. Now you will see the video footage of the attack before being asked to make your decision regarding the punishment for each of the four perpetrators".

The screen illuminates once more this time showing the video footage of the assault and rape captured by Layths wrist-cam.

There were gasps of horror and disbelief from the Islanders as they witnessed the events unfold on screen.


	32. Parts 32, 33 & 34 Punishment, why are y...

A horrified silence followed the video footage of the attack.

"Islanders, you will now be asked to vote on a punishment for each of the perpetrators, the options are as follows: Death via a public hanging, banishment from the islands, life imprisonment within the confines of the campus with all privileges withdrawn or counselling. Please fill in the form handed to you and place it in the box which shall be passed round". Ed announced.

The Islanders hastily scribbled on the form for most of them it was a decision that came from the heart and was based upon not only their gut reaction after witnessing the attack on screen but also upon what punishment they feared most themselves.

They began to whisper amongst themselves as the box was emptied and the votes counted up. Finally after what seemed an eternity Ed banged his first upon the table signalling that the votes had been counted and he was ready to announce the results.

The Islanders fell silent once more as they awaited the outcome of the public vote.

"The vote has been cast and the results are as follows; 94 have voted for either a public hanging or banishment as the punishment for all four Elite members on trial here today". Ed began his voice clear and authoritative.

"For Choy 52 of you have voted that he be banished from the Islands, for Hobson 68 of you have voted that he also be banished, for Layth an overwhelming 82 of votes suggest that the appropriate punishment for him too is banishment. However 47 of you have voted that Jeremy shod be subjected to death via a public hanging. A further 47 have voted that he be banished from the Islands. I will leave it up to our jury members to decide his fate".

"Will each of you in turn please rise and tell everyone your decision". Ed concluded.

Elisa was first to stand, the crowd some of whom had experienced her spoilt tantrums and attention seeking diva-like behaviour first hand began to jeer and shout abuse, in her usual superior tone she spoke over the ruckus and haughtily informed everyone that if it were up to her to make the decision Jeremy would be hung.

Ish stood up next and clearly told everybody that she believed that in order to be fair Jeremy's punishment should match that given to the other rapist, Choy and that Jeremy should be banished from the Islands.

Livia stood up and turning to face the Islanders crowded into the auditorium she waited until they were completely quiet before she spoke. "I believe that rapists should be hung for everybody to witness as an example to all of us of how criminals on this island will be punished".

Then it is Dan's turn. Reluctantly he rose from his seat to address the people gathered in the auditorium. The anger in his voice is plain to all of those present as he begins to speak.

"To witness a rape and the brutal beating of an innocent victim through the eyes of a coward was horrific, but to know that we are letting these criminals, who are criminals of the worst kind, go on living possibly to rape and potentially murder another girl is in my belief unthinkably unjust. In my opinion, although it is no longer relevant, all four, including Jeremy should be hung".

Dayne stands up coughing nervously before he casts his vote. "The Elite have given me a safe place to sleep, food to eat and a purpose, to take this away would be the worst punishment I could ever imagine. I believe that Jeremy should be thrown out of the Elite and banished from the Islands".

As Dayne retakes his seat Brie stands. "I believe that all life is sacred and nobody should the power to decide if another's life should be taken from them as punishment no matter how terrible the crime. I am going to vote that Jeremy be banished".

"Chase, you have the deciding vote". Ed informs them all. "Please think carefully before making your decision".

Chase nods in response before standing, signally that he has already reached his decision.

"I think to live knowing what they have done to this girl, that they have raped her, beaten her, broken her and left her so brain damaged that she would never move, talk or see even if she were to awake from the coma they put her in will be punishment enough. They will have to live with the knowledge that when we switch off the machines sustaining their victims' life they will become murders. In my opinion the worst punishment is to try to live their lives out in a new and alien country with the weight of their crimes upon their conscience, therefore I am going to vote that Jeremy be banished from the Islands".

There is a crash as Dan's chair tips over and he staggers blindly, one hand over his mouth to stifle the angry sobs rising in the back of his throat from the auditorium in disbelief.

Ed rises from his chair for the final time and speaks to all of those present. "From this moment onwards Jeremy, Choy, Hobson and Layth are banished from the Islands and are never to return, if they do I can assure you that they will be killed upon sight. Immediately following this trial they will board a small boat with enough fuel and supplies to get them to the mainland. Thank you all for attending and for your input on this most tragic of events".

Ed turns and leaves the auditorium via the back entrance, the rest of the Elite members file out after him leaving the public to disperse.

Dan looks up as Chase bursts through the door to their room, before Chase has a chance to open his mouth Dan starts yelling at him. "When were you going to tell me? Were you just going to kill her and hope I didn't notice?"

Chase reaches out to put his hand upon Dan's shoulder; Dan angrily pushes him away before he even touches him. "At least let me explain". He pauses, waiting for Dan to answer back instead Dan opens one of the drawers and starts stuffing clothes into a holdall lying on his bed.

"She's as good as dead anyway, didn't you listen to what I said in there? The scan I carried out earlier today showed massive brain damage, the kind people don't get better from, do you understand what I'm saying?" Chase tells Dan impatiently.

"But she's not dead is she? If there's even a chance she could wake up you shouldn't be turning off those machines! 'We' did this to her the whole lot of us, everybody in this stinking place is responsible for what happened, don't you get it? The Elite let her down the moment 'we' let that lunatic Choy onto the streets, the moment Ed teamed him up with someone as volatile as Jeremy, 'we' put every person on this Island at risk and you're not even willing to take responsibility one girl? She is the only innocent victim here!" Dan responds angrily.

"'We've' done the best we can for her Dan. Our knowledge, our equipment, our supplies are limited. We can't waste them on someone who is this badly injured, 'we' have to conserve them, what if it one of us have an accident, if it's you, me, Brie or one of the kids Travis or Jeneh or somebody, what happens then do 'we' say sorry we're going to let you die because we used everything we had to keep this girl alive, someone who even if they did wake up would be a vegetable and need constant care for the rest of her life. Is that how you want it to be?" Chase demands.

"That's just it though isn't it? She's not one of 'us', so she doesn't matter, you, Ed or whoever gets to decide that our precious resources are more important than her life! Suddenly it's all about becoming a superpower, about controlling people. 'We' aren't better than anybody else, just because you're Elite doesn't give you the right to play god". Dan screams at him as he zips up the holdall and storms out of the room.

"Leaving isn't going to change anything, it's just running away, we have a chance to play a major part in society, to influence people, to help them and you're just going to throw that away like it doesn't count for anything?" Chase shouts after him.

"Too right, I am. I don't want to be part of this crp any more". Dan mutters more to himself than anyone else as he rushes down the stairs and out of the building that he had made his home.

Brie was sitting waiting for him in a chair next to the girl's bed when Dan burst into her infirmary room a couple of minutes later.

"What are you doing here?" Dan asked him.

"I knew if I sat here long enough you'd show up". Brie replied.

"I came to say good bye". Dan responded quietly as he sat gingerly on the edge of the unconscious girl's hospital bed.

"I figured as much. Before you rush into anything will you listen to what I have to say?" Brie asked.

"I guess, what harm is listening to one more sermon about how great the Elite is going to do?" Dan answered begrudgenly.

"It's not about the Elite, it's about me, ok?" Brie said. Dan shrugged in response.

"My sister had variant CJD, she died of it. Do you know what that is?"

"Mad cow's disease".

"Yeah the human form. Nobody was sure what was wrong with her not until after she died. It took over two years, it was slow and agonising for us all, a living hell for her she lost all her dignity, all her control". Brie explained sadly.

"What's the point Brie; I don't have all day to sit around listening to some sob story". Dan replied sarcastically.

"The point is when she died, she couldn't breathe on her own, couldn't hear or see, couldn't move. We had to do everything for her, feed her, wash her, change her diapers like she was a baby again. You really want to inflict that upon this girl?

She could live for years, be uncomfortable, in pain and not be able to tell anybody, not feel, see or hear what's going on around her, do you have any idea how terrifying that would be?

The last thing she remembers if she wakes up, if she remembers anything at all, will be those animals attacking her". Brie argued passionately.

"Just so I understand this, your telling me it would be better to let her die? Jesus, everybody round here, even you, wants to play god these days…." Dan stormed.

"If it was me, if 'she' was my sister, if I'd have had the choice back then, when I was a kid, for her not to have experienced the torture, the anguish she felt at being trapped in a body that increasingly refused to co-operate and what her loose the ability to communicate, Yes, I would have alleviated her suffering in a heartbeat!

Sometimes letting a person go, even though it doesn't seem ethical and it hurts like hell is what is best for that person.

Think about what I said Dan, before you make any rash decisions". Brie told Dan as he got up to leave.

He turned and smiled sadly at his friend as he opened the door. "And Dan, if you decide that you still want to leave, that you can't help others, people like her find a better way of life by staying here, then I'll go with you, others will too, you know that don't you?"

Dan sat staring into the face of the motionless girl and began to seriously contemplate everything Brie had said to him.

Meanwhile in the residential halls on the other side of the campus, Kennis sat next to Travis on his bed in the room he shared with Jeremy. The boy was staring across the room at the empty space that has once belonged to his hero, his blood brother, his father figure, his friend Jeremy.

There wasn't a single reminder of Jeremy left in the room, it had all been cleared away the evening Jeremy had raped the girl. There were blank spaces on the wall where his rock posters had been, empty drawers that had once held his clothes, an empty bed where he had once slept, it made Travis want to cry, just looking at it all, but he had to be strong now, he had to be a man because his sister needed him.

Travis, like his sister, felt a mixture of grief and anger. His thoughts were abruptly broken as the door opened and Jeneh entered the room.

Kennis looked up. "The trial's finished?" She asked wearily. Jeneh nodded in response not really knowing what she could say that would be of comfort to Kennis and her brother.

"He's gone?" Travis questioned her.

"Yes, they've decided on the punishment and they've gone, banished from the Islands forever".

"Then this nightmare is over". Kennis said her voice thick with emotion.

Jeneh sat down next to her friend and put her arm around her shoulder is a gesture of comfort.

"Yes, Kennis, it's finally over". She replied.

THE END


End file.
